Ordered an iPhone, Got Beard Growth Oil Instead! Mumbai Consumer Court Orders Flipkart To Refund INR 1.11 Lakh
A consumer court in Mumbai has directed Flipkart and a seller to refund more than INR 1.11 lakh to a customer who claimed he received beard growth oil instead of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro he had ordered online. The forum also awarded the complainant INR 70,000 towards compensation for mental agony and litigation costs.
Mumbai, July 24: A consumer court in Mumbai has directed Flipkart and a seller to refund more than INR 1.11 lakh to a customer who claimed he received beard growth oil instead of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro he had ordered online. The forum also awarded the complainant INR 70,000 towards compensation for mental agony and litigation costs.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Additional DCF), Mumbai (Suburban), held that repeatedly closing the customer's complaints without providing any effective relief amounted to an unfair trade practice.
What Happened?
According to the commission's order, the Powai resident ordered an Apple iPhone 14 Pro (128 GB) on Flipkart on April 22, 2023, for INR 1,11,793 under a no-cost EMI scheme.
While the charger and phone cover he ordered separately were delivered successfully, the main parcel, delivered the following day, allegedly contained beard growth oil and packing material instead of the smartphone. Car Owner Wins E20 Petrol Case, Raipur Consumer Court Orders Replacement or Refund.
Customer Claims Complaints Were Closed Without Resolution
The complainant said he contacted Flipkart's customer support several times between April and May 2023 and submitted all the required documents.
However, instead of resolving the issue, the company allegedly marked his complaints as "resolved" multiple times without issuing a refund or replacement.
Consumer Court Holds Flipkart and Seller Liable
The commission ruled that Flipkart, as an e-commerce platform, had a duty to ensure that customers received the products they ordered and to provide an effective grievance redressal mechanism. Why Darjeeling Consumer Court Ordered Amazon To Pay Customer INR 4.68 Lakh Compensation.
It observed that an online marketplace cannot distance itself from a transaction after facilitating a sale, particularly when a customer immediately reports receiving a completely different product.
The forum held that Flipkart's failure to investigate the complaint, recover the wrongly delivered parcel, provide a replacement or refund, and repeatedly close the complaint amounted to deficiency in service and an unfair trade practice.
The seller, International Value Retail Pvt Ltd, was also found liable for failing to deliver the contracted product and resolve the customer's grievance despite repeated requests.
Refund, Interest and Compensation Ordered
The commission directed Flipkart and the seller to jointly refund INR 1,11,793, along with 9% annual interest from April 22, 2023, until the payment is made.
They were also ordered to pay INR 50,000 for mental agony and harassment and INR 20,000 towards litigation costs within 45 days.
Why Was Apple India Not Held Responsible?
Apple India, which was also named in the complaint, argued that it sells products through independent dealers and resellers and has no role in delivery or customer transactions handled by third-party sellers.
Accepting the company's submission, the commission said there was no evidence linking Apple India to the packaging, dispatch or delivery of the wrong product. It therefore dismissed the complaint against the company while holding Flipkart and the seller responsible.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 24, 2026 11:51 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
